Raul Sr. willing to ‘sell soul’ to get Senate nod on HB 4256
Chief presidential legal counsel Raul Gonzalez Sr. warns Sen. Noynoy Aquino that he will campaign against him following the latter’s non-endorsement of the bill that would divide Iloilo City into two districts.
Meanwhile, Gonzalez said that he is willing to support the candidacy of Senator Mar Roxas for vice president even if they are not partymates if he helps push for the redistricting of Iloilo City.
Gonzalez, in an interview over Bombo Radyo’s Zona Libre, said that he is willing to sell his soul to the senators just to make the bill pass the Senate.
Aquino, chair of the senate committee on local government, earlier expressed his opposition on the proposed bill citing the city’s lack of population necessary in the creation of another congressional district for Iloilo City. Based on the 2007 NSO census, Iloilo City has only a population of 418,710. The Local Government Code states it needs 250,000 population to create another congressional district.
A year and half has passed and nothing concrete was decided on House Bill 4256. “Noynoy will not get any support from me,” Gonzalez said adding. “I don’t owe anything from him.” Gonzalez reiterated it is Noynoy who indebted him because of his father. “I was the one who defended Ninoy (Aquino) from the Military Commission. A Supreme Court decision was rendered in favor of Ninoy,” Gonzalez said.
The chief presidential counsel said it is very frustrating on their part since the committee on local government chaired by Aquino approved several bills creating additional districts in Camarines Sur, and Iligan City among others.
Gonzalez believes Aquino’s decision was influenced by Senator Franklin Drilon. He said he overheard Drilon saying that the proposed bill will not make it before the Senate. Drilon was then at the Hotel Del Rio. He strongly believes the Ilonggo senator has something to do with Aquino’s decision rejecting the proposed bill.
In his visit to Iloilo City last week, Drilon said he was being pinpointed by Gonzalez as behind the setback in HB 4256 since Gonzalez has no one to pinpoint.
Drilon stressed that the city lacks the requirement for the creation of another congressional district particularly on the number of population. There are people who really want to disregard the law.